There’s a law naming Silliman Avenue, after all.
A 110-year-old Municipal Resolution of Dumaguete — written in ink and using cursive — was actually enacted during the leadership of Mayor Manuel P. Teves, renaming Calle Sta. Cecilia as Silliman Avenue.
“676: Por cuanto que es sumamente grande el beneficio que reporta al publico de Dumaguete, por el establecimiento de un colegio titulado Institute Silliman en el sitio llamado Laguna, en edificio se encuentra levantado al lado de la Calle Santa Cecilia se acordo por unanimidad de votos que dicha calle sea denominada desde esta fecha ‘Calle Silliman’ dirigiendo una comon al Dr. H. B. Silliman para su satisfaccion,” stated the June 1905 document, now on the yellowed pages of a bound compilation called Actas de Consejo.
Crude translation from Spanish: “Given the extremely big benefit that the establishment of Silliman Institute in a place called Laguna brings to the Dumaguete public, in a building that was built next to Santa Cecilia Street, it was agreed through unanimous votes that the above-mentioned street is to be named from this date forward as ‘Calle Silliman’ directing a [ ]to Dr. H. B. Silliman for his satisfaction.”
The ruckus over the name of Silliman Avenue stemmed from the City Council’s May 6 Resolution renaming Silliman Ave. Extension as Fermin Santos St.
The new Resolution, authored by Councilor Nilo Sayson, got public attention through the social media two weeks ago.
As soon as the report came out, the MetroPost received feedback from retired sociologist Lorna Pena Reyes-Makil on the reported non-existence of a law naming Silliman Ave.
“The story on the street name (Locals slam new street name, July 5) caught my attention especially the claim that there was no law that named Silliman Avenue. My research on street names states that the Municipal Council passed a resolution on June 5, 1905, naming the street. I find it interesting that the archives [now] don’t show this,” lamented Makil, who did her research at City Hall. (The abridged version of her report on the study will be reprinted next week.)
She added that the list of Resolutions shown to her about four years ago was not in an organized file, and that she had to sift through loose pages.
“When I had written up my report, I gave a copy to the office, and suggested that they organize their data on street names better,” Makil recalled.
A tip to the office of Atty. Arthur Tolcidas, secretary to the Sangguanian Panglunsod, revealed the actual existence of the Resolution in the book Actas.
The book, measuring more than two feet wide, is archived in glass shelves at the City Council office.
Residents from Silliman Ave. Extension said they were not informed of a public hearing, but that they later learned that a son of Fermin Santos, was present there. Councilor Manuel Arbon confirmed the presence of the younger Santos, who was given the floor to speak during the public hearing.
